Page 86 of One Reckless Night

“It will be vastly improved by your absence,” Amelia said.

Gemma stalked off toward the parking lot, two of her friends trailing behind her like stray dogs. As soon as she was gone, the tension hung in the air like a fog nobody knew how to clear.

I grabbed Amelia by the arm. “With me, now,” I muttered.

“I’ll take your stuff back to your condo,” Clair called out.

I led Amelia up the beach, my grip firm but not painful. She didn’t resist, her face pale, her eyes wide as she stumbled along beside me. Neither of us said a word.

I was still trying to figure out what to say. I knew what I thought I wanted to say, but I had a feeling that would be the wrong thing. No matter what I said, it was going to be wrong.

I led her up the stairs to my house and opened the sliding glass doors. I turned to her, searching her expression for any kind of answer.

“What the hell is going on?” I asked.

She shrugged. “I’m pregnant. It’s not that complicated. I’m having a baby.”

I stepped closer, my voice low. “Is it mine?”

Her eyes widened, and for a moment, she looked like I’d slapped her. “Are you serious? Of course, it’s yours.”

I felt a flicker of relief, but it was quickly overshadowed by a wave of panic. A baby. I was going to be a father. The thought sent a jolt through me, and I didn’t know how to process it.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked, my voice louder than I intended.

She shook her head. “When was I supposed to tell you, Jared? When you were too busy avoiding me? Or maybe when Gemma was hanging all over you in your office?”

I flinched, her words hitting hard. “Gemma doesn’t mean anything to me. You know that.”

“Do I?” she shot back, her eyes blazing. “Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you’re more interested in her than you are in me. Every time I turn around she’s trying to climb you like a tree. And that’s fine. You do you—or her—but I’m not the one bed hopping.”

I ran a hand over my face, my frustration mounting. “Amelia, I’m not sleeping with Gemma. I haven’t touched her since I caught her in bed with another man. Besides, this isn’t about Gemma. This is about us. About… this.” I gestured vaguely between us, my mind racing. “A baby changes everything.”

She laughed, the sound hollow. “Yeah, no kidding. But you don’t have to worry about it, Jared. I’m not asking you for anything. I don’t need your help, or your money, or… or you. I know you don’t want a relationship. I think your words were something along the lines of, you can’t. Which we both know means you just don’t want to.”

Her words stung, but I pushed the feeling down.

“You think this is easy for me?” I snapped, my voice rising. “You think I can just flip a switch and suddenly be ready for a baby? For all of this? Amelia, this is… it’s not what I planned. It’s not what either of us planned.”

“No, it’s not. But life doesn’t always go according to plan, Jared. But I forgot, when you’re you, it’s easy to walk away from a situation like it’s someone else’s problem.”

“I’m not walking away,” I shot back, though even as I said it, I felt the weight of my own words. I hadn’t exactly been present, had I?

“Could’ve fooled me,” she muttered, turning away from me. Her shoulders were tense, her hands gripping her elbows like she was holding herself together. “You need to know that this isn’t just about you. I have my own life to figure out, and I’ve already made up my mind.”

“What does that mean?” I asked, my stomach tightening.

She turned back to me, her eyes hard. “It means I’m leaving. I regret ever taking this stupid job. I did it because I thought I could help my mother. She died before I ever got the chance to make any headway. I dragged her across the ocean so I could pursue my dream of working here. What a fucking disaster. Don’t act like this pregnancy is a huge inconvenience to you.”

“You’re right,” I said. “We both have busy careers. And for what it’s worth, you should have told me about your mother.”

“It was none of your business.”

“Your research was based on your mother’s situation?”

“Yes! But it doesn’t matter now.”

“Amelia, I’m sorry. I didn’t… I didn’t know.”